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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27594245">really quite paradise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsonheadache/pseuds/crimsonheadache'>crimsonheadache</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas, Dom/sub Undertones, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Flirting, Getting Together, Harry deserves a break, M/M, Sex Toys, Sexual Tension, Surfing, Vacation, beach, snarky Draco, unusual careers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:20:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27594245</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsonheadache/pseuds/crimsonheadache</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry finally gets the break he’s been needing for years now.</p><p>Of course, bloody Malfoy had to show up and ruin it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Harry/Draco Owlpost 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>really quite paradise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemfae/gifts">Gemfae</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: <em>Draco and Harry both separately go on a tropical vacation for Christmas and wind up at the same resort</em></p><p>Title from one of my favorite songs: “Lady Stardust” by David Bowie ✨<br/>I saw Bowie was one of your favs too, Gemfae ☺️ I hope you enjoy this little fic I wrote for you and I hope you have a lovely holiday!!! ❤️💚🎁</p><p>Thanks to my betas: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/harleybarley/pseuds/harleybarley">Aly</a> &amp; <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/flammable_grimm_pitch/pseuds/flammable_grimm_pitch">Chloe</a>🖤</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione finally had enough. </p><p>It took one final unconscious magical outburst at the dinner table in front of the children for her to charm Harry’s arse to his chair and have the conversation he had been actively avoiding, to no avail, for years now. </p><p>Ron had escaped his wife’s oncoming tide by leaving to put the kids to bed minutes prior, saluting Harry on his way while his best mate pleaded with him to stay, uselessly. </p><p>Hermione only glared at Harry from her spot by the sink, her arms crossed menacingly over her chest in such a way only she could accomplish. She waited until her husband left to put the kids to bed, and then her reign of terror began. </p><p> “Harry, I know you are sick of hearing this, but I could care less at this point. You <em>need</em> to go on vacation. For your health's sake, and everyone else around you!”</p><p>Harry gave an impressive eye-roll, a tad disappointed at her tact this time ‘round. Usually, there was more high-pitched yelling. She only scoffed at his childish petulance. “I’m serious, Harry. You can’t be going around exploding things just because you have so much pent-up steam, especially in my kitchen and around the kids.”</p><p>“It was only that ugly vase you got from Molly last year, and I repaired it immediately! Plus, Hugo got a big laugh out of it.” Harry gave his friend a small but hopeful smile, but she wasn’t falling for it.</p><p>In fact, her current expression of unimpressed annoyance was quite a sight. Her arms were folded tightly around her front, but Harry could see that she was shaking slightly, trying to control her emotions. </p><p>“This isn’t good for your health, Harry. You can’t be working yourself dry and not taking time for yourself. Just the other day, Rose asked me what was wrong with Uncle Harry.”</p><p>Harry managed to look a tad guilty at that. Right at that moment, Ron came back into the kitchen, eyeing them both with his particular brand of exhaustion. “Leave the poor bloke alone, Hermione. You’ve been badgering him about this for two years straight now.”</p><p>“Yes, Ronald. Because he hasn’t taken a single bloody day off for <em>two years</em>!”</p><p>Ron grimaced and looked to Harry, shrugging unhelpfully. “Yeah, mate, I mean, you have to admit she has a point...” He scratched at his head, giving Harry a hopeful glance that maybe he would listen to Hermione this time.</p><p>Harry only sighed into his tea, which had gone cold during Hermione’s reprimanding.</p><p>“I mean, you have been looking down and out lately,” the redhead continued, “Do I need to speak with George about working you too much?”</p><p>Harry blew out a breath and shook his head as he ran a finger over the chip on his tea mug. 

</p><p>“Nah, he needs extra help with the new product lines that are coming out soon for the holiday season for W3. And at least I’m not throwing away my life every other weekend as an Auror. My job isn't <em>that</em> strenuous.” He gazed up at Hermione with raised eyebrows. She only shook her head in exasperation. </p><p>“Too right.” Ron poured himself a cup of tea and sat down beside him. “I wouldn’t even want to imagine how ragged we would have turned out if we had decided to go that route! Especially you, you don’t need all that extra stress.”</p><p>Harry wanted to both laugh and cry at Ron's uncanny ability to swap his positions just because of one look from his wife.</p><p>“That’s not the point! You are still working yourself to the bone, even if you aren’t risking your life every other day.” Before Harry could respond, Hermione pulled out her wand and summoned a piece of paper from one of the shelves from the living area. </p><p>“And <em>this</em>, is going to help you relax a bit.”</p><p>Harry pursed his lips, eyeing the floating paper as if it was seconds away from exploding into everyone's faces. “What is it?”</p><p>Hermione let out a long-suffering sigh as she grabbed the paper and waved it at the morose man at the kitchen table. “An early Christmas present from Ron and me.”</p><p>Harry turned to Ron, who looked as perplexed as he felt and actually almost laughed this time. Hermione was always buying people gifts that were supposedly from both of them without informing her husband first. </p><p>“<em>Oh</em>?” Harry took the piece of paper from her, which turned out to be thicker than he expected, and took a closer look. </p><p>It was a ticket of sorts. Written on it in a sleek golden script was the name of some tropical location if the photo of moving waves and palm trees was anything to go by. Underneath, there was the name and address of a condominium, as well as check-in times.</p><p>“What is this?”</p><p>“What does it bloody look like, Harry?!” Hermione's eyes lit up in a way that promised pain if Harry didn't accept the gift.</p><p>“But this is too mu-”</p><p>“- Nope! I don’t want to hear about it being <em>too much</em>! You know Ron and myself make <em>more than enough</em> between the two of us.” Ron eyed the paper that was still in Harry’s hands, smiling at his friend. </p><p>Harry had a pained look on his face as he tried to convey to Ron that he didn't need any vacation and that he was perfectly fine, but of course, Ron just stood up from his spot at the table and pecked his wife on the cheek. 

</p><p>Harry couldn't hide his annoyance with Ron for jumping to his wife’s side so quickly in all this as he glared over at him before biting his bottom lip as he stared down to the leaflet in his hands.</p><p>“This place is supposed to be one of the best for solo-vacations for solitude. And it’s very private, so you won’t have to worry about running into anyone you know,” Hermione’s voice then took on a softer tone, “We want you to go and enjoy yourself. You deserve a break, Harry.” </p><p>Harry bottled up the argument that was forming on the tip of his tongue as he looked back up at the happy couple before him. His best mates’ genuinely hopeful expressions were hard to stay angry at or quarrel over. </p><p>And he wasn’t angry with them, not really. </p><p>Just...tired.</p><p>Maybe they were right after all.</p><p>Maybe he did need a break.</p><p>He folded the paper up and stashed it inside his robes.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Hermione turned out to be correct, as she tends to be, in that the resort in question was relatively quiet.<p>When Harry arrived by Portkey, he quickly made a note to himself to never Portkey internationally ever again, as it almost had him throwing up the three mimosas that he had downed before leaving his flat.</p><p>Since this was a Muggle resort, Harry made sure to hide any incriminating items, like his wand, for example, in one of his bags after he inconspicuously arrived where no one could have seen. </p><p>It was only when he was sitting in the taxi on the way to the hotel that he realized he had forgotten his wand entirely in the first place and tried not to panic too much. But after practically scaring the poor Muggle taxi driver into a tizzy as he rummaged in his bags countless times to make sure, he figured he wouldn’t need it anyway...</p><p>Great start to a relaxing break, he thought dryly to himself, as he watched the cars pass outside the taxi window, a few palm trees scattered around proving that they were close to whatever resort Hermione booked for him.</p><p>He wasn't even certain where it was she had booked; he didn't bother checking.</p><p>Hermione had mentioned to him that this particular resort is the only one located on the entire beach, making it very desirable to everyone. </p><p>That made Harry wonder how she could get the reservation for him in the first place, but when he asked, Hermione had only waved him off, stating it was thanks to someone she worked with that had an ‘in.’</p><p>He didn’t ask further. </p><p>His stomach was still rumbling from the drinks he downed an hour before, it didn’t prevent him from grabbing what looked to be a frozen margarita off a tray in the resort lobby from one of the (admittedly sexy) concierges that greeted him when he exited his taxi.</p><p>“Welcome, Mr. Potter. So glad to have you here.”</p><p>Harry eyed the attractive greeter with an air of curiosity, but neither he nor any other hotel staff seemed to have any urge to gawk at him. All of the staff smiled pleasantly as they continued to greet other guests as they strolled in behind Harry. He let out a breath of air and felt about five pounds lighter at that fact alone as Mr. Good Looking took his luggage from him and nodded his head for Harry to follow him. </p><p>The inside of the resort toed the line between incredibly extravagant yet cozy simultaneously; an array of blues and greens covered the space where folks could sit and wait for the hotel staff to finish finalizing their reservations, while others could sit at a snazzy bar located around the corner. 

</p><p>Harry walked further into the room and could see the start of where the beach began, and if he squinted, he could have sworn he could see the sparkle of the ocean further on --</p><p>“Are you ready, sir?”</p><p>Harry glanced at the good looking man and noted his name was Iain by his name-tag. “Er, yes. Sorry, I was just taking in my fill of the view.”</p><p>Iain knowingly smiled at him and nodded, “Of course! I just assumed you would want to go ahead up to your room and get unpacked?”</p><p>Nodding, he followed Iain, and they both took a see-through elevator up into the hotel. 

</p><p>“This was a great choice on your behalf, Mr. Potter, as this is one of our most popular floors, as it’s the very top of the condo. You have a perfect view of the ocean from your room in particular.” </p><p>"You can call me Harry." he uttered as they made it to the room in question, and Iain handed over his key to him with a wink. Harry’s eyes widened a bit in shock at the other man’s flirty gesture but took it in stride.</p><p>“Let me know if you need <em>anything</em> during your stay. Anything at all, <em>Harry</em>.”</p><p>Harry couldn’t formulate any words to respond before the smaller man set off back towards where they came from. He wondered if the man always flited with the people who stayed here or if Harry had a bright sign over his head that read 'In dire need of a good pounding.' Either way, he didn't mind the attention. </p><p>Rather, Harry was frustrated at himself for not giving in to the attention and internally groaned at himself for being so hard-up. It had clearly been too long for him with that kind of thing. He shook his head and entered the room. </p><p>Finally unpacking a bit (or at least, throwing his luggage somewhere on the floor), Harry lay on his bed and finally felt as though he could breathe in a full breath of air for the first time in months. </p><p>These next two weeks might not be too bad after all, he mused, drifting off into a tipsy, mid-morning nap.</p><p>Harry woke up a few hours later, and he felt unusually well-rested if not a tad drowsy. </p><p>But the right kind -- the type of tired where all he wanted to do was go down to the beach and lay around like a useless slag. </p><p>He heard a seagull outside squawk and rolled off the bed to take his first peek outside the wall-length windows, after which he immediately ran to his luggage, pulled out a pair of trunks, and got dressed, grabbed his bag, and headed straight down to the ocean.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>It was his first time being at a beach in his whole life.<p>The waves were something else, he thought dreamily, as he let them trickle up the sand to his feet before they cascaded back down into the ocean. The calming touch of the sand pushing and pulling along his feet made him want to sink into the sand permanently. </p><p>It was so much better than he could have ever imagined. </p><p>Stretching his arms up, he breathed in the salty air and turned back towards the dry sand, heading up to where a bar was located, about 100 feet off the water. </p><p>A few patrons sat at the bar, nursing what looked to be somewhat fruity concoctions, their wet bums plastered to the seats as they took a break from the sun and the water.</p><p>Harry eyed the drink menu and decided on a Mai Tai, never having tried one before, and having heard from Luna that it was a rather good Muggle drink. 

</p><p>As he sipped on the cold beverage, he was ever so grateful for her taking up bartending after school. This drink was indeed remarkable; he could easily see himself downing ten more by the end of the day. </p><p>And it wasn’t like anyone was here to stop him. </p><p>This was his first vacation, after all, well, if you don’t count that one time that Hermione dragged Ron and him to Disney World.</p><p>If you asked Ron, that was more of a nightmare than anything else. He could still hear Hermione’s shrill scream in his head after Ron had thrown up on her after getting off the Tower of Terror. He smiled to himself at the memory as he sat half his arse on an open bar-stool. </p><p>"First time here?"

</p><p>Harry gazed up from his drink and nodded in response to the bartender who was eyeing him up and down like Harry was his mid-afternoon snack. "Yeah, uh, haven't been on a vacation in a while, thought I'd try this place out."

</p><p>The bartender smirked knowingly at him, and Harry didn't really know what to make of it, as he watched the man take two different mixed drinks and began shaking them simultaneously, keeping his eyes on Harry as he did so.

</p><p>"What's your name, hot stuff?"

</p><p>"Erm....uh. Harry." 

</p><p><em>Real good, mate. That's real smooth</em>

</p><p>The bartender seemed charmed by him, so he supposed not all was lost. He sat his mixing cups down and stuck a hand out for him to shake. "Rodrick, nice to meet you."

</p><p>He then left to pour out the drinks for a new couple across the bar from him, and Harry smiled back at him as he did so. At least the bartender was nice, not to mention easy on the eyes as well.

</p><p>He glanced back towards the ocean, sipping at his drink as he watched couples walk up and down the sand together, and some folks alone, just taking in the view themselves. 

</p><p>However, his attention was drawn to a few others taking their chance at surfing further out in the water. </p><p>One, in particular, caught his eye, a slender body bobbing in the water, straddling a green surfboard as he waited for the perfect wave to start up.</p><p>He was too far away for Harry to see clearly, but he could tell he had to be well-seasoned if the muscles along his back were anything to go by.</p><p>Ah yes, he thinks, Hermione did know what she was doing, sending him here.</p><p>At the very least, there seemed to be enough hot blokes to keep his attention for the next two weeks.</p><p>He took another sip of his drink as the man in the ocean decided it was time to move. Harry watched as the man leaned over his board on his stomach and somehow pivoted himself up onto his feet, the wave catching him as he began riding it so effortlessly Harry would've been surprised if he had some magic helping him out there. 

</p><p>But since this is a muggle resort, he highly doubted that was the case.</p><p>Harry eyed the man’s legs appreciatively as he wound through the water like a pro, hitting each angle perfectly, his back muscles rippling in the sunlight as the ocean water gleamed off him.</p><p>It was all over quickly, as in what seemed like a matter of seconds, the man’s board skimmed the sand to a delicate stop. </p><p>The man had captured a small group of fans, who clapped good-naturedly at him as he stepped off the board and picked it up, nodding his thanks to them with what looked like a  smirk, from what Harry could tell from behind his smudged sunglasses. </p><p>Harry took off his glasses, wiping them off on his t-shirt as the man quickly made his way up towards the bar. </p><p>Harry found himself wondering if the man would be open to teaching him a few moves on his surfboard later on, but when he got even closer, he looked frighteningly familiar, so much so that Harry wasn’t certain with the sun in his face, but he almost looked like -</p><p>“Roddy? I’ll take a hurricane. No ice this time? Ta.”</p><p>No. </p><p>There was no bloody way. </p><p>Harry vaguely heard the bartender laugh at his current patron’s choice to have no ice in his drink, lamenting on how hot it was, but Harry couldn’t pay much attention to him when he had Draco Malfoy, in all his sodding glory, standing two feet away from him. </p><p>Maybe he could leave now and he wouldn't see him...</p><p>“Hello, Potter.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh, fuck</em>
</p><p>“Ah yes, <em>thank you</em> Roddy, much appreciated.” Draco hadn’t taken his eyes off the bartender, even in his short greeting to Harry.  The blond’s eyes were taking their time raking down <em>Roddy’s</em> body.</p><p>“Ah, ah, ah Draco, my love. Not today. I cannot have you and your ministrations messing me up on one of the busiest days of the year.” the dark-skinned, burly bartender reprimanded Draco as he shook two mixed drinks at once like he did earlier with Harry, his biceps jiggling with the movements in the same way as before. </p><p>Harry noticed how Malfoy took in that sight before him as he emptied his drink at an alarming rate. Looking somewhat put-out at the fact that the bartender didn’t have time for his flirtations, Draco then sighed into his almost empty, obscenely red-tinted drink. “Yes, quite.” </p><p>Before Harry could even catch his breath, Malfoy turned to him so quickly he’d have thought he was a snitch Malfoy was attempting to snatch with those reflexes. </p><p>“And what, pray tell, brings you of all people here, <em>Potter</em>?”</p><p>“I could ask you the same question, <em>Malfoy</em>.”</p><p>Hermione’s voice rang in his head from a week ago, <em>“You won’t have to worry about running into anyone you know.”</em></p><p>He was going to kill her. </p><p>Harry was currently going through all the possible ways Malfoy could have tracked him here in his mind. Perhaps Malfoy had been stalking him since that last New Year’s party at Luna’s; he had seemed pretty inebriated…</p><p>“I come here every few months to escape life.”</p><p>Or...that. </p><p>Harry still watched him with an air of distrust. “Oh? What is so special about this place? Did you somehow figure out I was staying here so you could watch me from afar?”</p><p>Malfoy looked down at him from where he stood beside the barstool Harry occupied as if he was a pile of Hippogriff shit. “Potter. I can assure you if I had an <em>inkling</em> you would be here this week, I would have canceled my reservation, which I made a year in advance, mind you, and traveled to Australia instead.”</p><p>Harry grit his teeth, wanting nothing more than to grab his wand. Too bad he left the bloody thing at home.</p><p>But instead of hexing him or continuing their bickering, the blond downed the rest of his red concoction and gave Harry one more fleeting look. “Well, goodbye, Potter. I hope we never see each other here again.” </p><p>And with that, he strolled past him and up towards the same condo Harry was staying at.</p><p>
  <em>Damn.</em>
</p><p>It seemed his luck of getting to experience a calming solo vacation was slowly deteriorating.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The next day, Harry walked back down to the beach, finding a new spot to lay out to get some sun. He still had an area close enough to the bar if he needed a refresher on his drink, but he was far enough away that he didn’t risk running into Malfoy again.<p>And isn’t this just depressing. His first vacation in years and he has that unbearable ferret on his mind.</p><p>To give the man...some credit...he had gotten better recently, from what Harry saw of him. But it was the only tradition for them to hate each other.</p><p>So when Malfoy started showing up to Luna’s parties every time she had one, which was quite often, Harry was nonplussed at first. </p><p>But at Luna’s insistence, he started coming around to the idea of Malfoy being in his vicinity. Even Ron had started talking with him, which was a miracle on its own. Harry, however, still kept his distance, even at the parties.</p><p>Just because the git seemed less evil in the past few years didn’t mean Harry had to become buddy-buddy with him.</p><p>And it especially didn’t mean that Harry wanted him around on his supposed to be solo-vacation. </p><p>Harry enjoyed basking in the sun, wondering if he would get more freckles, but then decided to hell with it either way and forewent any sunscreen. </p><p>He imagined Draco burned quickly, with that alabaster tinged skin of his.</p><p>And -- here he was thinking about that sod again. </p><p>He stood up from where he was and shucked his tank off before heading over to the bar for a drink -</p><p>- and immediately turned back around.</p><p>“Potter!”</p><p>Not <em>quick enough</em>, obviously.</p><p>Harry stared at the sand, grinding his teeth for a split second before back-tracking back towards the tiki hut. Malfoy was standing out like a sore thumb as he leaned oh so casually against the bar top in his way too short swimming trunks. </p><p>Harry wouldn't even call them trunks at all, more like a wet towel the man draped over his nether-regions.

</p><p>“Malfoy.”</p><p>The same bartender from yesterday looks from him to Harry, interest glinting in his dark eyes. “I take it you two know each other then?”</p><p>“Archenemies from school.”</p><p>Roddy blinked at Malfoy’s quick retort and shrugged before mixing up some blue concoction behind the bar.</p><p>“No need to worry about him. Or even serve him, for that matter, Roddy. He is completely sober.”</p><p>Harry only stared dully back at Malfoy before ordering two chilled shots of tequila. Roddy snickered.

</p><p>But Malfoy’s eyes lit up, before immediately dimming when Harry shook his head towards him.</p><p>“These are both for me. Go bribe someone else for drinks, Malfoy.”</p><p>“<em>That</em> rough of a day, Potter? My my, and it’s only 10:30 in the morning.”</p><p>Harry sucked in a breath. “Yeah, don’t remind me. Can I go now?”</p><p>“I don’t believe I have control over your comings and goings, Potter, or any control over you at all.” Malfoy looked him up and down, in a similar manner to the way he had looked at Rodrick.  Harry shivered.</p><p>“Unless you would like me to.”</p><p>“No, thanks.” Harry spat, throwing a wad of money at Roddy before heading back to his beach chair, moving it another ten feet away from where Malfoy was when he got back, just in case.</p><p>Unbeknownst to Harry, Rodrick muttered, "I don't know how I feel about that one there…you best watch him.” under his breath as he handed Malfoy his drink. “Good thing that he isn’t bad on the eyes though, eh?”</p><p>Malfoy smiled dutifully at the bartender, “Yes, good thing that.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>On the third day of his not so relaxing vacation, Harry wandered down to the beach again.<p>He figured there had to be other things to do besides lounge by the beach and get as drunk as the fishes, but for some reason, something kept pulling at him to go down to the sand.</p><p>He set up his little beach chair and lay down once again, practicing the breathing exercises his therapist taught him.</p><p>
  <em>One</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Two</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Three</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fou-</em>
</p><p>A loud yell came from further down the beach, closer to the water, and Harry started, quickly realizing it was two men screaming in laughter as one attempted to stand up on their wakeboard while the other helped. </p><p>Harry closed his eyes again, starting up breathing once more when he heard a terribly familiar voice. He sat up quickly, anger coursing through him at the interruption (which in hindsight might be a little over-dramatic, after all, people are allowed to have fun on a beach). </p><p>Everyone but Malfoy.</p><p>And there he was, down by the shore. Harry almost stood up to stop whatever he was doing to the other man, but he slowly realized he helped him learn how to use his board. </p><p>The anger and frustration left him in a rush, and he relaxed further into his chair, feeling morose and rather lonely all of a sudden.</p><p>
  <em>Ridiculous.</em>
</p><p>His breathing exercises clearly weren’t working at the moment, and his already somewhat tan skin was turning a frightening red-ish hue. </p><p>Sitting back up in his sad chair, he stood up and wandered over to the tiki bar again. A man of habit, he was turning out to be.</p><p>Rodrick recognized him and raised an eyebrow but greeted him all the same as he ordered a rum and coke, staring down at the beach where Malfoy was causing the young boy to giggle at something he said.</p><p>Harry downed his drink.</p><p>“You alright there? You seem down, my friend.” </p><p>Brooding, Harry eyed Roddy for a few seconds and shrugged. “I’ll survive. Thanks for asking, though.”</p><p>“Of course! Any friend of Draco is a friend of mine.” </p><p>Harry stared at the man as he poured him another drink, something about the man's tone of voice set him off and he immediately straightened in his seat, “You uh...didn’t miss the moment when Malfoy told you we were mortal enemies back in the day, right?”</p><p>“Oh yeah, heard that alright. Draco’s always one for the dramatics, though, isn’t he?” Rodrick was wiping the sand off the bar top but watching Harry with an air of amusement, but there was still a suspicious look to him as he looked over at Harry. “He mentioned you after you walked off yesterday. He wouldn’t want me telling you that. I best stop there.”</p><p>He threw the dirty towel in a hamper under the bar and pulled out a clean one to wipe down some glasses. </p><p>“Wait, wait, please continue.” Harry wasn’t sure why he was all of a sudden so enraptured with what Rodrick the bartender had to say, but whatever Malfoy had said about him, he felt he deserved to know.</p><p>Malfoy must have made his way back over, as Harry looked across the bar and watched as Malfoy eyed the bartender with an air of distrust. </p><p>“As much as I would love to continue whatever I am sure is a riveting conversation, I must, regrettably, change the subject.”</p><p>Rodrick glanced over to Malfoy jovially, nodding at him to go on.</p><p>Malfoy started on a long, drawn-out spiel about how lovely of a gentleman the man who he had been helping was. “Those legs of his are sculpted so perfectly. But I suppose they have to be, right, Roddy?”</p><p>After a few minutes of this, Harry had enough and decided to hell with it all and resolved to rent a surfboard. It couldn’t be <em>that</em> hard after all if Malfoy can do it.</p><p> </p><p>One moment Harry was sitting on his surfboard, ready to go, and the next, he was overtaken by the wave he attempted to ride, saltwater immediately taking over all his senses.</p><p>The next thing he knew, he was throwing up what felt like the whole bloody ocean. He must’ve inhaled an awful lot of seawater in his attempts to surf. </p><p>Then he recognized a perfectly posh voice from above him as he emptied his body on the sand below him.</p><p>“Oh, look, the Chosen One graces us with his presence yet again.” </p><p>Harry blearily looked up to see both Malfoy and Rodrick gazing down at him with looks stuck between amusement and pity. </p><p>Harry eloquently mumbled, “Wha-” Coughing, he tried again, his throat immensely dry. “What happened.”</p><p>“Come on, let’s get you some water. Some with...perhaps a little less salt?” Rodrick offered him a hand, and Harry begrudgingly took it, making sure to drop it as soon as he stood up, trying to hide the shake in his legs.</p><p>The trio made it back to the bar, and Roddy poured him a generous amount of water, this time no salt in it to Harry’s immense relief as he downed the glass. “And I thought you couldn’t get any more pathetic, yet here we are.” Malfoy mused, sitting across from Harry and making sure to give him the most satisfied smirk. </p><p>Harry gritted his jaw as Roddy poured him another glass of water and poured Malfoy one of his ridiculously colored mixed drinks. </p><p>“Go on and let it out, Malfoy. Even though I’m sure it was one of your dreams, fishing me out of a dangerous situation, saving Harry Potter’s sad life? Go on, and perhaps someone will award you for your bravery.”</p><p>To Harry’s astonishment, Malfoy sniggered into his new drink, his smirk growing almost as quick as Harry’s frown.“You should be thanking Roddy here. He was the one who pulled your sorry arse from the ocean, Potter, not me.”</p><p>Harry glanced between Rodrick and Malfoy and then back at Rodrick again before muttering thanks to the man, who seemed much too smug.</p><p>He watched as Malfoy irritatingly made absurd googly-eyes at Rodrick, praising him and his manly, muscular body for helping the ‘Potter in distress.’ </p><p>After about two minutes of this, Harry growled out, “Malfoy, are you <em>that</em> terrible at flirting that it takes you longer than three days in a row to try to pull someone? Here I was, putting more faith in you.” He looked between Roddy and Malfoy with raised eyebrows, frustration at the man sitting across from him oozing through him.</p><p>Harry wasn’t sure why he said that last bit, but sometimes his mouth was quicker than his brain. Malfoy choked on his drink, coughing up the remains of that horrid red drink.  Harry didn’t bother helping him out in the slightest. </p><p>Especially when he realized the coughing was caused by Malfoy laughing at him.</p><p>“Oh, you have no idea, do you Potter?” Malfoy finally got enough control of himself, his voice still a tad scratchy from the coughing. Harry tried to think of the sound as anything other than sexy.</p><p>“I do appreciate you having faith in me, however.” The man’s grey eyes gleamed with delight. Harry wanted to bang his head against the bar top. </p><p>Harry figured they have already, and that he just liked flaunting that fact to the whole bloody beach…</p><p>But before Malfoy could respond further, Roddy started in, "Harry, my man, you don't have to worry about that. Draco here just likes to flirt with me. He knows I'm not his type. And vice versa." The bartender then eyed Harry up and down like he did the first day, "There are a few others here like might fit that category, however..."

</p><p>Harry wasn't sure if the so-called 'category' Roddy was talking about was for him or Malfoy but he wasn't about to find out anytime soon. He opened his mouth to fire back when he heard Malfoy sniggering beside him and he turned to him instead, brows furrowed in frustration."

</p><p>“Why do you keep -” </p><p>“Let’s get dinner.”</p><p>Harry’s initial question dwindled off into space when his brain caught up with what Malfoy had just said and he closed his mouth, opened it again to say something then closed it again a few seconds later like one of those fish in the ocean.</p><p>“Erm - sorry?”</p><p>“Dinner. You have heard of it, I’m sure?” Malfoy eyed him with an air of disdain before relaxing into one of more nonchalance as if he knew the other man would accept. “I only thought it would be a good look for us to sit down and hash it out. What do you say?”</p><p>“And what exactly do we have to <em>hash out</em>?”</p><p>Draco eyed him with another look, this time one of pure bafflement. “Oh, come off it, Potter, we haven't had a proper conversation in, well...ever. Maybe this is the universe telling us to get over our petty Hogwarts days.”</p><p>“There was that one time at Luna’s Halloween party where we -”</p><p>“Oh yes, that ended with your drink sloshed all over my intricate costume. Such fond memories.”</p><p>Harry harrumphed, crossing his arms over his burnt chest with a grimace. “It’s not my fault you are a prat ninety-nine percent of the time I am around you. And my hand slipped.”</p><p>“Ah, hope for me yet.” Draco sneered, “Tonight. Eight o’clock. The Pirate’s Booty.”</p><p>Harry couldn’t hold back his inelegant snort. “Mind running that one by me again?”</p><p>Malfoy just looked up haughtily and sniffed, “I assure you, Potter, that is indeed the name of the establishment. Muggles have such a...quaint way about them, don’t they?”</p><p>Before Harry could punch the git in the face, he was gone, off down towards the tiki bar to harass/flirt with poor Rodrick some more.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Harry never thought he would ever be entering an establishment called The Pirate’s Booty, but here he was. He gritted his teeth at the childish decor, which consisted of mermaids painted on the walls that looked more like stick figures.<p>When he walked in, he was surprised that the outside of the establishment did not match the inside. He was greeted by a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and circular tables lined with white tablecloths. </p><p>“Potter.”</p><p>Harry jumped a foot in the air before turning around to the sight of Malfoy standing there, dressed to the nines and looking like he would rather be anywhere but here, acting as if he wasn’t the one to invite him out to begin with!</p><p>“Malfoy.”</p><p>A few more seconds of a staring contest ensued before the hostess cleared her throat before them.</p><p>“Are you gentlemen ready?”</p><p>Malfoy straightened up and nodded cordially at the woman. “Table for Malfoy.”</p><p>The two were seated at a table by the window. Silence quickly permeated the air; the only sounds coming from the light conversations from other tables. Harry tried desperately not to twitch in his seat to no avail. He blamed it on his sunburn.</p><p>“Well, you certainly look dreadful.”</p><p>One of Harry’s eyes twitched in his attempt to hold back an angry retort, or one of those magical outbursts that he seemed to be having recently.  He took a sip of his water and glared at Malfoy from across the table.</p><p>“Have you thought of placing a cooling charm on your skin, or maybe a healing salve?” Harry’s frown deepened as Malfoy’s eyes traveled the length of his body, what he could see of it anyway, from his spot at the table. </p><p>It made Harry want to button up the few buttons he left open in the front of his shirt.</p><p>“I left my wand at home,” Harry admitted, setting his water down as gently as he could, trying to ignore his magic thrumming inside of him, just wanting to be unleashed. Malfoy always made him feel this way, and Harry hated it.</p><p>Before Malfoy could respond, the waiter came by and took their orders.  Harry only ordered a salad; he wasn’t sure he could stomach anything more.</p><p>After the initial awkwardness and silence, things didn’t seem as bad as Harry first assumed it would be.</p><p>Well, until they got to the crux of the meeting.</p><p>“I’m sure you are wondering why I asked you here.”</p><p>Harry only raised an eyebrow in response.</p><p>Malfoy suddenly looked almost forlorn, but he quickly covered it up with his usual arrogant expression.“I only wanted to squash some old...what do the Muggles say? Squash old lemons?”</p><p>Harry rolled his eyes. “Don’t think that’s how it goes, but go on.”</p><p>“Whatever.” Malfoy pursed his lips then, deep in thought about something, but Harry stopped him. </p><p>“Look, Malfoy, whatever you have to say about that party, just shove it. Alright? You want to squash. Well, consider it all squashed.”</p><p>Harry didn’t particularly want to remember Luna’s last Christmas party, Malfoy drunk off his arse, and jumping Harry under the mistletoe.</p><p>Even though Harry wasn’t all that mad about it at the time, himself not being all that sober either.  He wasn’t too drunk either, as he could still feel the ghost of Malfoy’s lips from that night.</p><p>“Well, I never did apologize-” Malfoy uttered, taking a long drink of his wine right as the food appeared before them. Harry watched as Malfoy thanked the waiter and took a bite out of his dish, humming in approval.</p><p>Harry clenched his fists together. “Well?”</p><p>Malfoy’s grey eyes found him instantly across the table, surveying him, and Harry suddenly felt naked.</p><p>“One thing you ought to know, Potter, is that Malfoys never apologize. So take this as a one-time thing only.”</p><p>Harry scoffed, digging his fork into a poor clump of spinach a tad too harshly and cracking the plate with it.</p><p>Malfoy hummed at that instead, “So much pent up aggression. You know, I rather remember you not complaining at the time last year.”</p><p>Malfoy then muttered something under his breath, and Harry’s plate had been magically fixed. “I could have done that.” Harry garbled out with a frown. “And you didn’t give me much time to complain with how your mouth had been assaulting mine at the time.”</p><p>At that, Malfoy threw his head back in a laugh, his glittering eyes watching Harry, amused. “Right. Whatever you say, Potter.” Malfoy took in a long, drawn-in breath, and Harry almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. “Oh, and apologies. For how you oh so eloquently stated for my mouth <em>assaulting</em> yours.”</p><p>“You should be,” Harry muttered into his salad, feeling the other man’s gaze on him from across the table.</p><p>Harry figured that was the best apology he was going to get out of the other man. </p><p>He started to eat his salad.  Thankfully no more broken plates ensued as the evening transitioned into a lighter mood. Malfoy began telling him a story about how Neville almost broke his leg when Malfoy tried to teach him how to surf when he came down one summer.</p><p>Harry chuckled at the image of Neville’s swim shorts falling off in the ocean as Malfoy dramatically told the story. And that’s when Harry realized the man wasn’t as terrible as he had led himself to believe.</p><p>Not that he forgave him. </p><p>But he could admit a tentative friendship might be in their future.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The next day, Malfoy managed to convince Harry to go shopping.<p>Sighing and trying to hold back his grimace of pain from his sunburn, he nodded to the man as they both ended up at some thrifty looking store. On the inside, folks could come in, buy anything from fishing equipment and knee-boards to mugs and keychains, as well as shirts and shoes with the resort’s name embroidered on them. Harry picked up a mug for Ron and a book about dolphins for Hermione. </p><p>“Here,” Malfoy shoved a bottle of clear looking liquid into Harry’s hands. “This is for your awful skin. It’s a Muggle remedy. Rodrick showed it to me once.”</p><p>“I’m sure he did,” Harry muttered indignantly under his breath as he placed the items on the counter to get rung up.</p><p>After the shopping outing, Harry figured it was time to head back to the condo. He smiled at Iain, who was checking a couple in but grinned widely when he saw Harry. </p><p>He felt Malfoy tense beside him.</p><p>The urge to come back down later hit Harry, if only he knew the other man’s schedule when he got off from work. It had been a while since he had pulled anyone, and he wouldn’t mind some extra company tonight.</p><p>But he had Malfoy to attend to for the present time. He sighed and made his way up to his room, the blond following him.</p><p>“Hop to it, Potter. The awful redness of your skin is burning up my innocent eyes.”</p><p>Harry rolled his eyes, muttering about his <em>innocent</em> eyes as he pulled his key out of his pocket, opening the door for Malfoy and shaking his head at the ridiculousness of this whole situation. </p><p>As soon as they made it inside, Harry went to put the gifts for his friends in his luggage, but the whole suitcase fell over, his clothes and everything else falling out onto the floor beside Malfoy’s feet.</p><p>He immediately set into action, grabbing at his most private collection of toys that he had brought with him, throwing them back into his luggage, and desperately praying to the gods and Merlin that Malfoy hadn’t been paying attention.</p><p>One of the new prototypes from work that he planned on having some alone time with later rolled away before Harry could grab it, and Malfoy reached down and snatched it up like it was a snitch in one of their past Quidditch games. </p><p>“Is this one of the new models from W3?” </p><p>Harry’s eyes closed as he let out a long breath of air. It wasn’t in his plans today to have Draco Malfoy see and judge his sex toys, let alone hold one of them, yet here he was.</p><p>“Erm, yes. As you know, I’ve worked there for a few years now to help out George with the new addition to the business…” He snatched the toy from Malfoy’s pale hands, ignoring his inner thoughts comparing the length of his long fingers to the toy itself. </p><p>“Yes, I’m aware.” Malfoy leaned over to try to see the other toys he brought with him, but Harry stepped in his way before he could get a good look into the suitcase. “Interesting choice of profession, I must admit.” Malfoy eyed him up and down before turning around and grabbing the aloe, gesturing for Harry to get up on the bed. "Sex toy inventor? Not the profession I had picked out for you all those years ago at school, yet here we are."</p><p>"Yeah well, Head Auror Potter didn't have the same ring to it." Harry stated dryly, and almost jumped in alarm when Malfoy laughed. </p><p>"Too right. That would have been much too boring anyway." Harry found himself smiling at the other man, watching him as he squeezed some of the liquid on his palm. His heart began beating a little quicker at the sight. It took Harry a bit longer than he’d like to admit before he understood that Malfoy wanted him to get on the bed so he could apply the aloe himself onto Harry.</p><p>Onto his body.</p><p>With his <em>hands.</em></p><p>
  <em>Fuck</em>
</p><p>
 He crossed his arms over his chest, outwardly wincing as his forearm rubbed up against his burnt chest.
</p><p>“Erm, what exactly are you planning on doing?”</p><p>Malfoy rolled his eyes so hard that Harry was worried they’d get stuck there. “Don’t be daft, Potter. You can’t rub this in by yourself.” He then opened the bottle and squirted some more of the aloe on his hands, slowly rubbing it in on his own hands to warm it up, Harry supposed, as he watched, mesmerized at the sight.</p><p>Harry really did try to come up with any excuse he could think of that would prevent Malfoy's hands from touching him. Not that he was that put out on the idea, quite the opposite if he was honest. But anyone's hands on him at this point would do.</p><p>He didn't need <em>Malfoy's specifically </em>.</p><p>But here he had Malfoy, nodding for him to get on the bed again, a glint in his eyes. Harry wasn’t sure if it was the drinks he downed earlier or the absolute need to get the aloe on his burnt skin, but he slowly shed himself of his shirt and laid on the bed on his stomach with a grimace, as the blanket on the bed rubbed up against his tender skin.</p><p>He sucked in a breath at the cold touch of Malfoy’s hands on his shoulders, much more gentle than he assumed it would be. The aloe was already soothing his hot skin, and Harry felt comfortable enough to somewhat relax into the mattress, as Malfoy’s hands continuously rubbed circles.</p><p>Closing his eyes, Harry tried focusing on something else, <em>anything</em> else, besides the smooth and surprisingly soft touches coming from the man behind him. </p><p>He imagined how he would feel if he hadn’t had a sunburn, and Malfoy was giving him a full massage, with oil instead of the aloe. He had to swallow back a moan at that thought as he ignored the heat developing further down his body. </p><p>He managed to get his mind off of the task at hand and those talented hands on his back for a little bit, thinking about the latest Quidditch scores right as Malfoy’s hands reached down into the dip of his back. </p><p>He wasn’t burnt down there as far as he could remember and he felt Malfoy’s hands press down a little harder where he had a few knots in his lower back. Harry bit out a groan as one of the knots loosened under Malfoy’s magical hands.</p><p>Harry felt himself grow harder and desperately thought of Quidditch scores again, which only made him think back to Quidditch matches at Hogwarts, and the way Malfoy always flew with such purpose around him, his sneering face, his strong thighs wrapped around the broom...

</p><p>“Alright, Potter, time to turn over.”</p><p>Harry froze, the images disappearing as quickly as they appeared in his head and he moved to prop himself up on his elbows, quickly realizing that wouldn’t be possible. Not in the current predicament he just now found himself in. </p><p>“Well, come on then. I don’t have all day,” Malfoy drawled. Harry heard the clicking of the aloe bottle; Malfoy must’ve added more to his hands.</p><p>Harry grasped at the coverlet under him, mulling over if he should say he was alright and there was absolutely no need for Malfoy to help him further. Or if he should flip over and let Malfoy at him from the front.</p><p>And that phrasing wasn't currently helping his predicament in the slightest. 

</p><p>Seein that his front was much worse than his back...he knew he wouldn’t be able to use that excuse.</p><p>It’s a normal reaction, he told himself as he quickly turned over, almost like ripping off a bandaid in a way. He immediately shut his eyes, not wanting to see Malfoy’s reaction to his poorly timed erection.</p><p>Hopefully, his shorts covered most of it; they were thick enough fabric he imagined. </p><p>Harry covered his eyes with one arm anyway, just in case. 

</p><p>There were a few seconds of no movement above him; silence pervaded the air and he started to sweat. He twitched a bit from where he lay, and finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Malfoy cleared his throat and began rubbing the cold aloe on his stomach. </p><p>Harry was immensely grateful for the fact that he had started up his morning runs in the past year, as Malfoy’s hands rubbed up against his defined abdominals, hissing in relief as the aloe hit an incredibly burnt spot near his hip bone, and Malfoy added a bit more of the aloe to really layer it on there.

</p><p>Harry forced another round of Quidditch through his head; he imagined himself playing this time, no Malfoy in-sight, which allowed him to calm down enough for his erection to die away for the most part, even with Malfoy’s hands which had wandered quite far down near his V lines, before they left his body completely before he cleared his throat to signal he was done.</p><p>Malfoy walked to the bathroom in silence. Harry sat up as he heard the water running from the sink for a few minutes before the other man walked back in, drying his hands on a towel that he then threw at Harry, who grunted in annoyance.</p><p>“If you want to wipe yourself down, you’ve made quite the mess.” Malfoy quirked an eyebrow at him, amusement painting his features. Harry swallowed dryly. </p><p>“Right, er - thanks, I guess.”</p><p>Malfoy left shortly after that, leaving Harry sitting on his bed, still a tad light-headed from the whole thing. That's when he slowly realized Malfoy could have used his own wand that he managed to <em>not forget</em> at home to cast a simple healing charm instead of rubbing it all over him. using his own hands…</p><p>He spent the remainder of the day staring at the ceiling, questioning his existence.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>On the seventh day of his two-week vacation, his sunburn faded to a more manageable level, and he decided it was time to leave his condo and hang out at the pool.<p>And of course, Malfoy was there, hanging out, all laid out on the largest chair as if the sod owned the whole bloody establishment. It was like Malfoy had some sort of Potter-scope on him, knowing where he was at all times.</p><p>Harry decided to hell with it all and laid his towel down beside Malfoy, who didn’t even bother greeting him at all, too busy with his sunbathing. </p><p>Harry can’t understand that, seeing that the man is still as pale as he used to be at Hogwarts. He doesn’t know hot the git doesn’t burn, but a part of him hates him for it.</p><p>“Looking good, Mr. Potter! The sun is doing you wonders.” Iain gave him one of his famous winks as he strolled by the two men by the pool.</p><p>Harry grinned timidly back, “You think so, eh? Well, I-“</p><p>“You should have seen him on his fourth day here. Bloody travesty - ugly red splotches all over. Couldn’t handle the sun. Poor love had to have me rub Aloe Vera all over him.”</p><p>Malfoy then sat up and leaned forward until he was in Iain’s space. “Believe me when I say <em>all over</em>.”</p><p>Iain’s face blanched, looking from Harry to Draco and back to Harry, quickly pasting on a fake, customer service-like smile that Harry figured he was good at doing by now. “I see! Well, gentlemen, please let me know if I can get you- ”</p><p>“Pina colada. Extra shot of your 8 year Bacardi on the top. Not too much ice. Ta.” </p><p>Harry growled at Malfoy as the man didn’t even bother glancing at Iain's way as he stated his orders, ignoring the slight twinge of arousal the action drew from him. </p><p>One of Iain’s eye twitched but nodded shortly and went off before Harry could ask for anything, apologize for the Slytherin's behavior, or desperately explain to his only hope of getting laid in the next week and a half that Malfoy wasn’t his boyfriend and that they weren't...like that.</p><p>“What the fuck, Malfoy.”</p><p>Malfoy paid him no mind, however, only laying back further in his beach chair, stretching out his long, pale legs on his ridiculously fluffy towel.</p><p>Harry wanted to throw it <em>and</em> the ridiculous man on it in the pool.</p><p>“It’s not my fault you are utterly inept at flirting. I was only stopping what was to be, I’m sure, a catastrophe. You should be thanking me.”</p><p>Harry had to bite his bottom lip to hold back any arguments. He frankly wasn’t in the mood to rile the other man up or vice versa. But he couldn’t help but notice the way Malfoy’s eyes were watching his mouth, enraptured as if he was waiting for an explosion to indeed happen.</p><p>Harry cleared his throat, remembering his breathing exercises and not giving him the satisfaction. A few moments later, Malfoy looked away, moving to face the sun as he stretched out again beside Harry by the pool.</p><p>After the Iain debacle, Malfoy seemed more inclined to shut his mouth and relax, which Harry was desperately thankful for, the only sounds for the next few hours were the few people around them in their own small talks and the faint sounds of the waves crashing at the beach. 

The sunburn made him rather frustrated as it was, and Malfoy’s loud mouth hadn't been helping. So it was finally nice to have some peace and quiet on this vacation of his. </p><p>The aloe from earlier did wonders to his mood as well. </p><p>Not that he would ever tell Malfoy that.</p><p>He could watch Malfoy floating in the water all day and all night, his pale skin ethereal as it blended beautifully with the light blues of the pool water. And when he opened his eyes to look up at him lazily, Harry was entranced by their stark greyish hue, the water almost bringing out the color to the nth degree. </p><p>Harry told himself he was only staring to ensure the man was still breathing, as sometimes he seemed so, at peace, it looked as though he wasn’t breathing at all. </p><p>Or that he couldn’t look away from that ridiculous swim cap of his. Apparently, the chlorine in Muggle pools had him worried for its safety, which Harry found incredibly amusing.</p><p>He liked to float on his back, his arms with his arms fanned-out on either side of his lithe body. Good for him that the pool this morning didn’t have but two other occupants, who were currently relaxing in the hot tub across the way. </p><p>But every time Malfoy opened his eyes, and it was as if he knew exactly where he was in relation to him, no matter where he floated to in the pool, managing to catch his sight every time with a smirk. </p><p>By the fifth time in a row of this, Harry swallowed heavily, opting to walk to the pool bar for a drink to cool off. </p><p>From the sun. </p><p>Because it was hot outside.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Malfoy managed to convince him somehow to get in the pool with him at one point.<p>He said it was to help him cool off and for his sunburn to feel better.</p><p>Harry didn’t buy it for one second. But he appeased the man and jumped into the pool, making sure to soak the blond man thoroughly with a rather large cannonball. </p><p>The slight pain from the residue sunburn on his stomach was worth it. </p><p>He grinned as he resurfaced and heard Malfoy’s loud cursing, quickly covering his mouth with a hand, smiling apologetically at Iain, who for the first time in Harry’s stay there looked at Harry with an expression other than wanting to rip his clothes off.</p><p>Instead, he looked like he would rather jump in the pool and strangle Malfoy, which in all honesty, he couldn’t blame him for. Considering the Slytherin was currently biting Harry’s hand to stop him from cursing him out even more.</p><p>One nasty bite later, Harry took his hand back, glaring at the man. “Merlin, Malfoy, your hair will survive this travesty, <em>calm down</em>!”</p><p>In true Malfoy fashion, he stuck his tongue out at him and flung water his way, which then ensued in a childish water fight between the two men, and Iain had to end up putting a stop to it.</p><p>Good thing, as Harry was this close to using some wandless magic to get an edge over him.</p><p>“And here I thought the great Harry Potter would have some tact.”</p><p>Harry sank into the water to his shoulders, observing the other man. “You must not know me well at all then.”</p><p>“Pretty sure I know you well enough. The Boy Who Lived to surf and drink Mojitos.” Malfoy had a boyish expression on his face, and it made Harry’s heart beat faster at the sight of it. It made him look younger and happier than he had ever remembered seeing him. </p><p>Happier than even the glimpses he got at Luna’s parties recently, and for some reason that made Harry happy. </p><p>That he was the one who could put that smile on his face.

</p><p>“Mai Tai’s,” Harry corrected him with a grin of his own before blowing bubbles in the water, to Malfoy’s complete dismay.</p><p>“Honestly, Potter, I would think you were eleven years old again.” he huffed and flicked some water into his face, which just made Harry laugh even harder.</p><p>A few seconds passed after that, and a thought occurred to Harry, and he knew he had to get it out before it completely ate away at whatever sanity he had left at this point.</p><p>He remembered to speak low enough so no lingering Muggles could accidentally hear, swimming up closer to the blond to do so, “Oi Malfoy, why didn’t you just use your wand to cast a healing spell on me yesterday? Or a cooling charm?” </p><p>Malfoy opened his eyes from where he was starting to layout again, floating on the water as Harry floated beside him. His grey eyes found him immediately, staring at Harry in clear contemplation as if he was mulling something over in his head. </p><p>Harry felt as if he was being dissected from the inside out. </p><p>“Do you really want to know?” </p><p>Harry knew it wasn’t just him, and that Malfoy’s voice had dropped at least one octave when he asked that last question. But he nodded in affirmation.</p><p>Malfoy straightened in the water, eyes staying stuck to Harry as he moved even closer, and Harry didn’t realize how close to the edge of the pool they were until his back hit the concrete wall. </p><p>He felt Malfoy’s breath against his ear, his body heat through the pool water, mere inches from him.</p><p>“Because I wanted my hands on you. I have wanted my hands on you for so long but after last Christmas...I needed to feel you again.”</p><p>It was as if the pool water suddenly became 20 degrees hotter then, and Harry reached up with one shaky hand, placing it gently against Malfoy’s pale chest.</p><p>Damn him.</p><p>The Sectumsempra scars were visible, barely, through the water, and Harry didn’t think the man could have looked any more delectable at that moment. He leaned in closer, suddenly needing the feel of his hands on him, desperately, when a loud clearing of a throat had him freezing up.</p><p>He looked at Malfoy and found him glaring up at something or someone from behind Harry, and Harry was worried he would curse whoever it was. </p><p>Harry turned and saw it was Iain and wanted to laugh.</p><p>“If you two don’t mind moving your…<em>conduct</em> elsewhere. We do have families here.”</p><p>Harry opened his mouth to answer when Malfoy’s hand came up to stop him. </p><p>“Of course. We wouldn’t want to offend any impressionable eyes...even though,” Malfoy made it a point to look around him in the pool area before looking back up at Iain, his expression blank, "I am not seeing any young families around."</p><p>"Perhaps then you scared them off?" Iain asked through gritted teeth, eyes staring daggers down at Malfoy, and Harry nudged him in the arm.</p><p>"Perhaps." Malfoy stated, deadpanned.</p><p>With one last look of frustration at Malfoy and another that almost resembled longing to Harry, Iain walked off in a huff, and Harry felt Malfoy tittering with laughter beside him. </p><p>“What a lovely man. Let’s invite him to a threesome when I’m done ravaging you in your room.”</p><p>Before Harry could acknowledge that with any response or breath in for that matter, the blond was up and out of the pool in a flash, pulling a towel over his body, and Harry followed him, tumbling over the side of the pool to rights again and followed him up to the condo.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Malfoy came up from behind him as soon as they entered the condo and pushed him until his back hit the bed, and Harry fell down on top of the cover, Malfoy's breath hot on his neck as he followed him down.<p>“I saw the toys you brought with you that day. What did you expect when you came down here? Did you have plans to find some random bloke to whip into shape with that pretty flogger of yours? Or did you want someone shoving that plug up your own arse, watching you as you struggled on it?”</p><p>Harry gasped as Malfoy bit his neck right under his ear, pressing up against him, paying particular attention to his own erection, already hard, as he pushed up against the man invitingly. </p><p>“That answers that question.” Harry felt rather than saw the smirk on Malfoy as he nibbled up his neck before pushing him further down onto the soft coverlet, stopping his thrusting and putting his hands on his chest. He stared down at him, eyeing him like he was his meal for the evening and he hadn't eaten in days.</p><p>“Do you want me to touch you?”</p><p>Harry couldn’t find a verbal response, his mind whirling with the knowledge that Malfoy was up in his room, hovering over him as he lay in his <em>bed</em>, currently moving one of his clever hands down his chest, getting closer to the waist of his swim trunks. </p><p>It was almost too much to bear. </p><p>Instead of responding with words, he twisted his head to the side, showing more of his neck, and grasped at Malfoy’s hold on him, pushing up against his touch, practically humping the air above him. 

</p><p>“I think you already are,” Harry answered cheekily and was pushed down further into the bed for it, Malfoy's eyes gleaming alight with arousal. </p><p>“<em>Shameless</em>. I like that.” Malfoy's hand was a feather-like touch as it moved down further barely fondling him over his trunks before moving back up his body instead, pulling at his dark hair. 

</p><p>"Merlin, you are unbelievable." He leaned in and kissed Harry soundly, sucking on his bottom lip, causing Harry to groan in his mouth as he knotted his hands further in his hair. Harry reached behind him, grasping at his shirt for any leverage at all, finding none as Malfoy reached around and grabbed his wrists, holding them above his head on the bed.

</p><p>Harry pushed against the hold but widened his eyes in the realization that he couldn't move his hands at all, even after Malfoy let them go. </p><p>He immediately blushed from both the whine that came from the back of his throat and how much harder his cock got from the feeling of being held down magically. He had only done it to himself in the past, never allowing a lover or ex to do so to him. </p><p>God it had truly been <em>much</em> too long for him, as he made another embarrassing groan that was about two pitches higher than his actual voice. </p><p>“Ah ah, hush now. I’ve got you.” Malfoy stood up then, sauntering over to Harry’s suitcase that was still lying on the floor, wide open. He hummed to himself, busying himself with going through his things, as Harry lifted his head up as much as he could to watch.</p><p>Usually, Harry would have thrown a massive fit at how Malfoy was treating his stuff, throwing his clothes and other items around the room as he searched, but watching the man closely inspect all the sexual items he brought ignited a new flame within him.</p><p>Groaning pitifully, he desperately prayed that Malfoy doesn’t find the flogger he packed with him. But another part of him painfully hoped that Malfoy <em>does</em> find the flogger.</p><p>To his frustration and relief, Malfoy walked over with the same sex toy from the other day. The one that practically called to him when it rolled over to Malfoy the first day he came over to Harry’s room.</p><p>“I want to see this in you. Have you ever tried this particular one?”</p><p>Harry shook his head, “No," his voice was already rough, "no, I brought it especially for this trip; I wanted to try it here for the first time.”</p><p>“Fuck.” Malfoy grabbed his wand off the bedside table and muttered an incantation, and Harry watched as the plug became shiny with a familiar substance and he thrust up again into the air.</p><p>Malfoy only tsked at him, smirking as he ran a finger over the plug, the metal glittering in the low lights of the room almost as much as Malfoy's eyes. "Take your shorts off.”</p><p>A part of Harry wanted to refuse, wanted to fight, wanted Malfoy to bring out the brat in him. </p><p>He had a feeling he would be good at handling him.</p><p>But tonight, he was too high-strung and needed release desperately. More than anything he could ever remember needing in a <em>long</em> time.</p><p>Harry somehow managed to wriggle off the shorts without the help of his hands, he felt another wave of arousal hit him as well in embarrassment as he shuffled his arse around enough to slide the trunks off most of the way.</p><p>He struggled towards the end, grunting as he tried desperately to get the sodding things off his erection, which was practically sticking straight out. Malfoy leaned over and pulled them down the rest of the way, the cool air finally hitting his cock above him and Malfoy stared at it as if it was a work of art.

</p><p>“Do you want me to touch you?”</p><p>“What does it fucking look like?” Harry growled out, and his heart sped up at Malfoy’s fiery look he gave at that.</p><p>Malfoy leaned away from him, eyeing him coolly. “Run that by me again?”</p><p>Harry’s eyes widened, and he felt an overwhelming sense of need thrum through his body, wanting nothing more than for Malfoy to take complete charge over him. “I want it, <em>please</em>?” 

</p><p>Harry smirked up at the man and received a light smack on his arse for it. </p><p>“Color?”</p><p>“Green,” Harry answered quickly, his heart pumping widely in his chest that the man had enough mind and heart to ask anyway. </p><p>Most hardly did or forgot halfway through and Harry would need to remind them.</p><p>Malfoy stripped himself of his swim trunks, giving Harry a perfect view of his perfect body before he then surged forward. He leaned over before him, mouth beside his ear, “I'll give you two options: do you want my fingers in your arse? Or do you want this plug pushed in with no prep?” </p><p>Harry had to remember how to speak, as felt the man’s erection, clearly bobbing happily and hitting Harry's thigh. He raised his leg, rubbing against him before a strong hand reached down and grabbed it, pressing it into the bed. “Uhh, oh <em>Merlin</em>. Malfoy, please! I don’t care; I just need -”</p><p>“Shhh,” Malfoy then gently raised his other hand that held the plug and pressed the metal tip against his lips, "I know what you need."

</p><p>Harry instantly opening his mouth further, his tongue coming out to lick at it as he watched Malfoy with his bright green eyes, making sure to flutter his eyelashes seductively at him before opening his mouth wider to fit the whole thing inside his wet mouth. 

</p><p>He watched as Malfoy's eyes seemed to darken even further, as he pushed the plug further inside his mouth; his other hand reaching for his wand by the bedside table where it laid.

</p><p>He muttered a quick spell, and Harry let out a shaky breath as he felt lube running down his legs, suddenly much more relaxed than before as well. “Relax Potter, you need this badly, don’t you?”</p><p>Nodding his head, Harry moaned around the plug still in his mouth. "You make such a pretty sight. I do love the color you chose for this beauty."

</p><p>At that, he popped the plug out of his mouth and watched as a line of spit followed from Harry's mouth and groaned at the sight. 

</p><p>"Slytherin green." Malfoy smirked, before tracing the plug down Harry's body, toying with his nipples and Harry whined at the feeling. The plug still felt cool to the touch even though it was just in his mouth, his nipples hardening instantly at the feeling. 

</p><p>All of his breath left him in a whoosh as the plug finally entered him, and Malfoy played with it, pulling it out a bit, teasing him with it until he pressed it back inside, the toy barely nudging against his prostate, not quite where he needed it the most.</p><p>“Uh - Malfoy, please give it to me.”</p><p>“What do you need? Tell me." Harry groaned as he saw Malfoy staring down at his face and his arse, where he greedily took in the plug from where he was fucking him with it.

</p><p>But before Harry could respond, Malfoy had already made up his own mind, his own needs coming in-between any games being played.

</p><p>"Fuck Potter, the things you do to me. You have no idea.” Malfoy decided to hell with the plug as he gently took it out, throwing it somewhere in the middle of the room behind him, and began fingering his arse with two of his own. Harry pushed up into the feeling even more, not caring in the slightest how it made him look, his hands still above him, tied by Malfoy's magical force. </p><p>He moaned wantonly, pressing up even more towards the man above him, wordlessly asking for more, and Malfoy seemed to be in a giving mood then.</p><p>Either that or he desperately needed it just as much as Harry did at that moment. That in itself spurred Harry on even more. “You like me like this, don't you Malfoy?” Harry asked naughtily, rolling his eyes up to the back of his head at the feeling of a third finger entering his arse, his breaths coming out in heavy huffs.</p><p>“<em>God Harry, yes fuck.</em> Look at you, such a slut for it, I should’ve known. Harry Potter, the cock-slut. Four fingers and you’re still here, begging for more.”</p><p>Harry clenched hard around their fingers, and Malfoy slapped him on the arse. “Brat,” Malfoy called him almost affectionately. </p><p>He wasn’t sure if he wanted Malfoy to slap him again or call him more indecent names; he wasn’t sure of anything except the need to get Draco inside him sooner rather than later. </p><p>“I want to rim you until you cry, but unfortunately, tonight, I don’t have the patience.”</p><p>Harry’s toes curled at the image that brought into his head, and bit his bottom lip until he tasted blood at the feeling of Malfoy pressing his cock inside him, <em>finally</em></p><p>“Malfoy- <em>Draco,</em> please. You can do whatever you want to me, whatever you want at all. Just please...please, please-”</p><p>“Fuck, you beg so beautifully. Listen to yourself.” Malfoy pushed all the way inside, licking a stripe up his neck at that before biting down; Harry begged again only louder. </p><p>“<em>Please</em>! Let me come; oh, I’m so close.”</p><p>Malfoy then wrapped a hand around his leaking cock, and Harry whimpered. “You are, aren’t you. <em>Salazar</em>.” Instead of touching him more, he removed his hands and pressed Harry’s back down further into the mattress, his thrusts picking up.</p><p>"You wanna come on my cock?” Malfoy asked, his voice raspy and full of tension, and even in his delirious state of mind, Harry knew Malfoy wasn’t far off from finishing himself. </p><p>Harry could only nod his head frantically, moaning loudly, and Malfoy grabbed him by the throat, his voice gravelly, “Answer me, then you can come.” He then grabbed the base of his leaking cock, and Harry sobbed.</p><p>“Pl-please! Ah, ah! I want to come on your cock, ah -!” Malfoy’s thrusts were hard enough that the bed itself pushed it hard enough to break the plaster on the wall.</p><p>Malfoy let go of his tight grip on the base of his cock at that, instead jerking him off quickly to match the pace of his thrusts, quickly losing control himself. His cock throbbed inside Harry, causing him to moan again as if he could feel it himself.</p><p>“Come then. Now.” He gritted out, and Harry wailed, his cock spurting out copious amounts of come all over the bedsheets, his mouth open as his screams turned into soft croons. From behind his eyes, he could have sworn he saw a purple light, but he didn't have his wits about him to check or really care for that matter, his orgasm taking everything out of him.

</p><p>He heard Malfoy gasp, as he fucked into his only for a few more seconds before coming deep inside Harry, biting down on his shoulder to barely cover his own ragged sounds.</p><p>Harry’s body wholly melted into the bedding, not caring in the slightest about the mess he made on himself and Malfoy, his breathless whimpers cutting into the blond’s own rough panting. </p><p>Malfoy was trying to get his wits about him, and Harry could have sworn he heard him mutter something along the lines of: “Bloody hell...Potter doesn’t know his magical strength....” before sleep overtook him. </p><p>Minutes passed, though it could have very well been hours; Harry wasn’t entirely sure. But he finally came to and was met with Malfoy beside him; arms wrapped protectively around him, Harry smiled softly into the hold.</p><p>“You have quite the magical energy during sex, Potter. You almost caused the windows to explode earlier. I’ll just take that as a compliment.”</p><p>“Hmmm,” Harry sighed blissfully and snuggled closer into the tight hold, “That must’ve been what Hermione was talking about, magical outbursts and all of that…”</p><p>He felt Malfoy’s arms tense around him, “Ah, I wasn’t aware Granger, and you were that...close that you would talk about those types of...topics. Wonder what Weasley has to say about that…”</p><p>Harry was still pretty out of it, but he could sense Malfoy’s jealousy, even in his current state. Something about it made him giggle into the other man’s chest, “That’s not even close to being correct,” Malfoy lightly slapped him on his arse in retribution, only making Harry snicker more.</p><p>Before Malfoy could argue with him in his current state of content, he reached up and lightly showered his neck in kisses. “I must admit that I do appreciate your sudden interest in mine and Hermione’s relationship; however, I can assure you it is strictly the non-sexual kind. No offense to her, of course.”</p><p>That seemed to calm the other man down quite a bit at that.</p><p>Something caught his eye on the man’s shoulder, though, and he reached up a hand to trace it.</p><p>“You have freckles…” Harry stated dreamily, as his index finger traced over the small dots on the pale man’s shoulder.</p><p>An indigent shout from the other man and a vice-like grip on Harry’s hand had him trying to hold back a wave of laughter. Malfoy’s expression went from relaxed to vengeful in half a second. </p><p>“I <em>do not</em> have freckles, Potter. You take that back at once.” </p><p>Harry could only chuckle, shaking his head, “Whatever you say, Malfoy.”</p><p>A few hours later, Harry awoke to Malfoy beside him in the bed, watching him with a look that closely resembled affection. </p><p>He looked away when he realized Harry had caught him in the act, opening his mouth to change the subject entirely before Harry could say something about it.</p><p>“Roddy is hosting a party tomorrow night for Christmas if you want to stop by.” He stared at the ceiling as he said this, and Harry rolled his eyes, scooting even closer to the man in question. </p><p>“You seem to like <em>Roddy</em> pretty well.” Harry didn’t mean for the statement to come out as petulantly as it did, but there was no taking it back now. </p><p>“He’s the one hosting the party, Potter. No need to be so like that about it.” Malfoy answered, with a smirk etched on his face, still facing the ceiling, but running a thumb over Harry’s side, “And he’s a friend who gives me free alcohol on occasion.” </p><p>“Ah, right.”</p><p>“Potter. Don’t be a prat.”</p><p>“You can call me Harry, you know.”</p><p>He didn’t know why he said it, and Harry immediately regretted it as soon as he saw Malfoy’s expression of disbelief marring his face. He smoothed it out quickly into one of indifference. But he twisted until he faced Harry on the bed.</p><p>“Is that so? Well, you keep calling me Malfoy. What must I do to change that?”</p><p>“You start calling me by Harry, and I’ll start calling you by Draco. How’s that?”</p><p>As quickly as his last expression disappeared, a new, more frightening look overcame Draco’s face then, and Harry swallowed dryly.</p><p>Draco looked as though he was a jungle cat who finally found its prey, and Harry wasn’t sure if he was afraid of what’s to come or intrigued. His cock twitched again at it, and Draco smirked knowingly, coming over to lean over him in the bed.</p><p>“Oh <em>no</em>. You seem to be mistaken if you think that I will be taking any orders from you.” The blond’s grin stretched across his pointy face, “No, I’m afraid that’s not how I operate.”</p><p>Harry only laughed at that, which earned him a pinch on his arse from Draco. “I gathered that much, thank you very much. Considering how you were eyeing that flogger of mine the other day like you wanted to tie me up and have your wicked way with me.”</p><p>Malfoy leaned down further and kissed him deeply, but instead of continuing what he started, he only laid his head down on Harry’s chest, sighing in content.

</p><p>A few more seconds passed as Harry stared down at the man lying partially on him, the moon coming through the windows and shining on his pale back beautifully.</p><p>“Remind me to send Hermione flowers.”</p><p>Draco raised an eyebrow at that, a question in his glittering eyes. “Whatever did she do to deserve that?”</p><p>“For helping me get laid for the first time in a good bit.”</p><p>A few more seconds passed then, and the clock rang midnight, a few people cheering outside even who probably had too much eggnog spiked tequila. </p><p>“So are we going to make this an every Christmas event, us meeting up and snogging, or fucking then leaving each other high and dry? We are two years strong, after all now.”</p><p>
  <em></em>
</p><p>Draco reached up towards Harry’s face; Harry expected a light caress but instead was rewarded with a pinch to his cheek. “Aw look at you Potter - er, <em>Harry</em>. All you have to do is ask, and you shall receive. I was wondering what I was going to have to get you for Christmas, but I think you’ve answered that for me.”</p><p>“What are you going on about!” Harry laughed at the ridiculous man beside him, swatting his hand away as he tried to pinch his cheek yet again.</p><p>“Me! I’m your Christmas present. And look no further, because I am the most perfect present anyone could ever ask for.”</p><p>“Is that so?” Harry asked dryly. </p><p>“You don’t have to worry about Roddy anyway. He’s a top. Not my type, <em>obviously</em>.”</p><p>And that made Harry feel much better than he expected. </p><p>“Scratch that, let’s send Hermione that new prototype. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”</p><p>“Urgh, Potter! I did not need that mental image in my head; thank you very much!”</p><p>Harry just laughed, feeling entirely at ease for the first time in a long while, even as Malfoy pummeled him with pillow after pillow.</p><p>He had a feeling that the next Christmas was going to be a lot of fun with Draco beside him.<br/>
</p><p>But first, they had to make it through the next 364 days.</p><p>Somehow, Harry had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a problem in the slightest.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>make sure to check out the other incredible works for this fest <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/HD_Owlpost_2020"> here</a>!</p><p>❤️</p></blockquote></div></div>
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